Finished week 4 today, sort of. I had to quit my last 5 min run early, but it's CRAZY humid in NJ today, and it was extra hot & humid in the gym even with the AC. I think that sucked the life out of me, kinda. Still going to try for week 5 next week! 8 mins! EEE!

baaaaaaaaaaaps you can dooooooooooooooooo it!!! Don't think about 30min yet! You'll get there!

_________________...I am an opinionated prick not a problem solver. -matwinser

Now I remember why I try to keep a continent between me and New Jersey at all times. -torque

To all of you starting out: this is the third or fourth time I've started this program, I'm about 65 lbs overweight and I hadn't been doing a lot of cardio before starting in May. I think one of the best parts of C25K is discovering what you're capable of doing. Keep on running -- we're all doing great!

I hear you! I'm ~100lbs overweight (or more, haven't decided on a final weight. won't really know til I get there!) so I still can't believe I can run at ALL. haha!

I did Week 5 Day 1 today!!! I ran 5 minutes, 3x! I'm amazed. And terrified of running 8 minutes on Wednesday. And 20 minutes on Friday! Hahaha. Oh C25K... you so delusional. ;) I'm gonna try it, don't get me wrong, I just don't see how that's going to work!

If I have to I'll just do day 3 again next week, and then move on to week 6 after that. It's all good.

It's weird though. The first few weeks everything was about getting to the point of panting/gasping and feeling like I couldn't finish the runs. Now I think my lungs/heart have caught up, and my legs get tired before my lungs do! So strange. I sort of don't know what to do when that happens... I learned how to breathe to get through the last minute or whatever, but I don't know what to do with my lead-legs. I'll figure it out.

_________________...I am an opinionated prick not a problem solver. -matwinser

Now I remember why I try to keep a continent between me and New Jersey at all times. -torque

Twins! I also completed W5D2. I can't believe it. The first 8 minutes was easy. The second one I wanted to quit a couple of times, but I just kept telling myself I was "almost done!", which helped, and also I decided I really wanted to be able to come here and brag about it. Hahaha.

I can't wait until it's Not Summer anymore so I can start running outside.

Also my friend who wants to do the 5k with me in October wants to start soon. She might even come to the gym with us in the mornings. Yaaaaaaaay!

RUNNING MAKES ME EXCITED ABOUT EVERYTHING ALWAYS!!!!!!!!!!!

ETA: I had a typo and tried to log in as "Mach the Spork." COINCIDENCE???????????????? hahahahaha. VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

_________________...I am an opinionated prick not a problem solver. -matwinser

Now I remember why I try to keep a continent between me and New Jersey at all times. -torque

It was only a matter of time but I knew it would happen, just thought it would take more than 2 weeks! My boss cannot run for a couple of weeks, then goes on holiday/gets married so that ends her doing C25K with me.

So I'm joining the gym and am going to do it on my own again. I prefer that anyway, I prefer running on a treadmill and I don't have to listen to a screaming baby for half an hour! Plus then I can do classes in between running days.

baps!! I guess that's a good thing then. You'll get to do your thing and not have to wait for/worry about someone else!

W6D1 today!! It went pretty well. A lot of the music was boring for me, so I'll have to check out the other podcast. I don't think I'll make it through a 25min run on Friday with this slowwwwwwwww.

My hip is bothering me a bit. It was last week, too, I just thought with 2 days off it would go away, haha. Not super painful, it just feels "off." I paid close attention to my stride during the walk at the beginning, and tried to for the run segments as well. It seemed to help. Meh. It's not all better, but it's not worse either. I'll just keep on keepin on.

_________________...I am an opinionated prick not a problem solver. -matwinser

Now I remember why I try to keep a continent between me and New Jersey at all times. -torque

Weirdly both last week and this week I'm finding the broken up run harder than the long one was on Friday. I think it's because I'm expecting it to be "easy", and it's not easy it's just... more do-able. Heh.

Hip is the same. Maybe a tiny bit better.

Question for people who've been running longer: does the "activation energy" get easier with time? I feel like the first 5 minutes or so of any run is hard. I'm tired and sluggish and want to quit. It's the part I have to push hardest through, versus the end! Doesn't matter if it's 8 minutes or 25, that first 5 minutes (well, maybe minutes 2-5?) suhh- huucks. Does it get better? I don't care if it still happens, I just wish I could get it over with quicker, or have a shorter "suck" section or something to get into the actual run.

_________________...I am an opinionated prick not a problem solver. -matwinser

Now I remember why I try to keep a continent between me and New Jersey at all times. -torque

haha I'm the opposite, at the end of C25K I was finding the first 10-15 minutes flew by but by 25/30 minutes I wanted to throw myself off the treadmill (drama queen!). I would also like a shorter suck section! hahah.

I joined the gym today, back to running Monday, yay. Gonna attempt to start from W3D1 as I did week 2 twice but as I haven't run for 2 weeks I may regret that decision.

GO J-DUB!! Don't you feel awesome?? You just ran for 20 minutes. AHHH.

You'll be ok, baps! I had break a few weeks back and I just pushed ahead & tried the next week. It worked out fine, I found I didn't need to go back and repeat a week. You'll be great, especially as this is your 2nd time through I'll bet!

_________________...I am an opinionated prick not a problem solver. -matwinser

Now I remember why I try to keep a continent between me and New Jersey at all times. -torque

I am amazed. Still have to push through a couple mini walls in the early part but I'm actually doing okay at this. Guess it's time to register for my 5k! I think I have a prayer of actually finishing it now, haha.

_________________...I am an opinionated prick not a problem solver. -matwinser

Now I remember why I try to keep a continent between me and New Jersey at all times. -torque

I only managed to do week one. It went tits up for me. Mostly because my boobs are far too heavy for my small frame. Need to find the money to try find a sports bra that will fit and support me. Now THAT is effort. I really do want to be able to run though. I will be like a crazy bisque running through the woods with my kick asparagus german shepherd by my side.

For me it was a matter of not so much money to find a sports bra, but the existence of a fitting sports bra in the first place... I am off the chart of every bra manufacturer I've ever checked, and that's for "normal/everyday" bras! (They all name cup sizes differently above 6" difference between your band & breasts msr, which I think is DDD, but either way they all stop around 10", & I'm like 14"...)

Hopefully someone else can recommend a particular bra that would help you, but if it's more that you can't find one or that this option would be cheaper, this is what I did: I wear the best fitting underwire bra I can find (nothing where the center wires gap way out away from your chest wall, that will chafe!!) And over top of it I wear a soft, wire free (the cups are poorly defined, is the best way I can describe it) bra that's 1-2 sizes too small. The reg bra proves support; the smallish bra provides compression & extra support. You'll have to try stuff on to figure out what works best for you: 1 cup size small, 1 band size, 1 of each, or 2 of one or the other.

The biggest thing that helps me though, is running form. Honestly, the only way I would truly never bounce would be to visit OUTER SPACE, but it is possible to run without bouncing. This may be easier to figure out on a treadmill since the terraine is flat/no hills/ whatever, so try it out either on a treadmill, or someplace extra flat and boring. First: make sure you are not twisting your body at all. You should swing or pump your arms to help you, but don't tense them up and make sure your hands never cross your "zipper line" (regardless of whether what you're wearing has a zipper!). Twisting can lead to bouncing for sure. Second, pay attention to your stride. Make sure as you push off with each foot, you're pushing yourself forward, not up! It does take some practice to find a stride & body position that is bounce free, but it's totally do-able. Once you've done it for a while it becomes second nature and you don't have to think about it anymore. I sometimes still bouce a little if something distracts me and throws my stride way off (like knocking my stupid phone on the floor and/or nearly falling off the treadmill...) but it doesn't take long for me to get back to normal.

I do hate that feeling though! Bouncing throws off my breathing and makes me extra tired really really fast. Good luck with finding something that works for you, if you decide to try again!

_________________...I am an opinionated prick not a problem solver. -matwinser

Now I remember why I try to keep a continent between me and New Jersey at all times. -torque

I'm a 30GG last time I was fitted but even then it was a case where I had to make do with that size because it was the largest cup size and smallest back they could get with that cup. Apparently the only way I would manage to get a true fitting for my size is to go to London to a particular shop and they would custom make them. Definitely not in my price range!!! Even in the 30inch bras the straps fall off my shoulders constantly even at their tightest.